Cheerful Piety – Letter V

John Berridge

To the Countess of Huntington

Madam,

Thursday last I received a bill conveyed by Mr. _, but presented by your ladyship, which was immediately converted into cloth for the use of lay preachers, and for their donations. I send you my hearty thanks; the Lord has promised to return it an hundredfold into your bosom, and I believe you can trust him.

I wish you had sent along with it a few minutes of your life of faith; you might then have taught me whilst you were clothing others; for, indeed, I am one of those strange folks who set up for journeymen, without knowing their business, and offer many precious wares to sale without understanding their full value. I have got a master, too, a most extraordinary person, whom I am supposed to be well acquainted with, because he employs me as a riding pedlar, to serve near forty shops in the country, besides my own parish, yet I know much less of my master than I do of his wares.

Often is my tongue describing him as the fairest of men, while my heart is painting him as the witch of Endor; and many big words I have spoken of his credit, yea, I am often beseeching others to trust him with their all, whilst my own heart has been afraid to trust him with a groat. Neither, madam, is this all; such a profound ignoramus I am, that I know nothing of myself as I ought to know. I have often mistaken rank pride for deep humility, and workings of self-love for the love of Jesus.

When my master first hired me into his service he kept a brave table, and was wondrous free of his liquor; scarce a meal passed without roast meat and claret; then my heart said: I love Jesus! and was ready to boast of it too; but at length he ordered his table to be spread with meat from above, and water out of the rock. 1 Cor. 10:3,4. This, my saucy stomach could not brook, my heart thought it pernicious fare, and my tongue said it was light food. Now, my love for Jesus disappeared, and I followed him only for the loaves and fishes; and, like a true worldling loved his larder much better than his person.

Presently my master detected me in a very dirty trick, which discovered the huge pride and amazing impudence of my heart. Hitherto I had been a stranger to the livery my master gives his servants, only I knew he had many rarities, such as pearls and diamonds, and plenty to dispose of. Rev. 3:18.

Accordingly, I begged a bracelet of him, a neck-lace, earrings, nose-bob and other pretty things which he readily parted with, being of a most exceeding generous nature. And will it not amaze you to hear, I had the vanity to fix these odd ornaments about my old face, intending to make a birth-day suit to appear in at court?

Well, to be sure, while I was thus busy about mending my old rags, and putting on my pearls, &c., in comes my master, and gives me a sudden grin, which went to the very heart of me, and said in an angry tone, Varlet, follow me! I arose and followed him, trembling, whilst he led me to the house of correction, Prov. 3:12, where he first set my feet in the stocks, stripped me of my ornaments; he then took his afflictive rods, and laid upon me very stoutly, till I cried for mercy; but he declared, he would not lay aside the rod till he had scourged every rag from my back, Isa. 1:6; and indeed he was as good as his word.

Think, then, how amazed and confounded I must be, to stand naked before him; and especially when I saw myself a leper, with an Ethiopian skin, Isa. 1:25, which the rags had hitherto concealed from my sight.

I kept on my legs, though overwhelmed with shame, till at length being almost choked with the dust and stench that came out of my rags in beating, I fell down at my master’s feet. Immediately the rod dropped from his hand, his countenance softened, and with a small still voice, he bade me look up. I did; and then I got a first sight of his robe, the garment of salvation. Isa. 61:10.

Truly, madam, it was a lovely sight; a charming robe, reaching from the shoulder down to the feet, well adapted for covering and defence, yea, excellent for beauty and glory. Exod. 28:2,40. There, prodigal Jack, he said, put this on thy back, and then thou mayest shame even an angel; it was wrought with my own hand, and dyed in my own blood: wear it and then embrace me. I thanked him and bowed.

But, madam, I must tell you, though I do not desire you to be a confidant, when my master opened his robe, he gave me a hasty glance of his person; it was divinely sweet and glorious, and withal so exceedingly humane, that I fell in love, and now, (would you think it of me, an old fool as I am, and swarthy as a negro? Sol. Song 1:5,6), nothing would content me but a wedding, Jer. 2:14; nay, I have often proposed the match to my master, who, sometimes replies, When you can leave all others I will take you. The other day, having asked him when he would take me to his bosom, he answered, When I could humbly lie at his feet. And then he has also graciously promised to set open his cellar and larder, and to keep them open for me. Isa. 33:16; Matt. 5:6, Phil. 4:13.

I am now removed out of the book of Proverbs, which I have long studied, into the book of Canticles, but am got no further than chap. 1:2, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” I seem to want nothing now but a close communion with the dear Redeemer.

The world, at times, strives to divert my attention from the chief object of my affections; but my soul is ever panting after him, yea, my heart and flesh cry out for the living God. Psalm 42:1,2. Come Lord Jesus; come quickly!

The Lord strengthen your union and communion with the Prince of Peace! Amen.